I Dated Brian Quinn

Chapter Sixteen

"So there I was, sleeping in this bed where the sheets are crispy, and I swear I feel bugs crawling all over my body." Sal had just started telling his story about his bug filled night at the hotel.

"Wait, wait, wait." Brian interrupted him. "It's worth saying that none of the rest of us had bug problems and were in the same hotel." He laughed as he motioned for Sal to continue.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the crew members on the side of the stage frantically motioning for him to come over. Brian turned off his microphone and walked over to the guy while Sal continued to tell his story.

"What's up man?" Brian asked, confused about why he would interrupt the show.

"It's Jackie. Something's happened. There's police and blood." The crew member was pale and Brian knew he was serious.

"Where?" He dropped the microphone and ran toward the stage door.

The crew member followed behind him as Brian ran in the direction he had seen Jackie last.

"It's down here." The guy ran in front and down a hall.

Brian rounded the corner and stopped. There were three uniformed policemen standing around a large pool of blood. They had set up yellow cones marking evidence. Brian saw the bloody footprints leading from the pool of blood to the other end of the hall.

"Gentlemen, this is a crime scene. I'm going to have to ask you to leave this hallway." One of the cops approached them. "We are going to need to lock down the building and question everyone before they leave."

"Where is she?" Brian stepped closer to the cop.

"I'm sorry, sir, are you related to her?" The cop took a notebook out of his pocket and held a stubble of a pencil.

"I'm her boyfriend. Where is she?" He was getting angrier with each question.

"Oh, they're probably going to need you down at the hospital. Here, Officer Paul will drive you down." The cop motioned for one of the others to join him. "Drive this gentleman to the hospital. He's her boyfriend."

Officer Paul nodded.

"Follow me, sir." He motioned for Brian.

Brian walked quickly, keeping pace with the police officer.

"Is she okay? What's happened?" Brian demanded.

"What's your name again?" The officer asked.

"Brian. Brian Quinn." Brian answered, not sure what his name had to do with Jackie's condition.

"Guy named Earl found her. He's being held for questioning. She's been beat up pretty bad. Laceration to her wrist. Looks intentional. Lot of blood loss. No update from the hospital, so I can't tell you her condition. She was unconscious when they put her in the ambulance." They reached the cop car and both got in.

"Who the hell would do this?" Brian asked out loud even though he didn't expect an answer.

"That's something they're gonna want to ask you." Officer Paul pulled out on the road and flipped his lights and sirens on. "Do you know anything about the guy that found her?"

"E's her body guard. He didn't do this." Brian said.

Even though they were going over the posted speed limit, Brian felt like it took forever to reach the hospital. When they pulled in to the parking lot, Brian didn't even wait for the officer to stop the car completely. Once he had slowed enough for Brian to jump out, he did and ran toward the emergency room entrance.